California Sea Lion with Plastic Ring on Neck





California and Northern ( Steller) Sea Lions			With Plastic Neck Rings from Commercial Fisheries Net Bindings

In September , 1999 the sea lion shown here spent several days near the docks at Race Rocks. Carol Slater, MPA Guardian, took these images of the animal showing a a deep injury probably from a plastic fish-net binding hoop	. These hoops are sometimes discarded at sea by commercial fishers, resulting in deadly necklaces for sea lions. In early November, another California sea lion arrived with a similar hoop on his neck.

In October of 2008, two sea lions are on the middle island with neck rings.		This California sea lion with a neck ring was at the docks, fall 2008.


This northern (steller's)sea lion showed up on Middle Rock in February of 2009 . Note the ridge formed by the ring toward the head end. Photo by Ryan	On Sept. 9,2009 two neck rings and three brands appear in the same photo from the tower. GF	The sea lion on the right in the former image takes to the water by GF	Aug 31,2009 another entanglement in a commercial fishing net binder by Ryan
			See Ryans Sea lion set on Flickr
These two images were taken on Sept. 2, 2009 by Ryan	This year there has been a significant increase in sea lion entanglement in the colony at Race Rocks. These plastic neck bands come from the commercial fishing industry	Photo Aug 31 by RM	*Please write your Fisheries governing departments to request that all plastic bands used in the fishing industry for binding fish nets by made of biodegradable material.*